Chapter 116: Back to the grass, delicious!

The media's alarmist "Leeds Great Defeat" has not yet appeared. Simon Grayson and his coaching staff have already realized the crisis. In the first leg of the second round of the Europa League knockout match, Leeds United defeated their opponents with a stronger ability to seize opportunities than Leverkusen, with a score of 3:0.

Although he won the game, Simon Grayson found that his team really exposed many problems. In terms of ability to create opportunities, his team seemed to be much worse than before. Although there were 11 shots, they were still 7 fewer than Leverkusen. It was just because Tevez scored twice and Jonny Hausen's goal.

In the last game of losing to Arsenal at home, Leeds United also fell behind 9:13 in terms of shootings, which can no longer be regarded as accidental.

After returning to England and playing the sixth round of the FA Cup with his arch-rival Manchester United, Leeds United lost 0:2 at home, and lost again 10:19 in the shooting ratio.

This situation has been encountered in three consecutive games. Simon Grayson knew that there was really something wrong with his team's offense. The team's ability to create shooting opportunities has decreased a lot, which means that the team's chance of scoring goals has decreased, and naturally the team's probability of winning has also been smaller. This situation...it must be changed!

But...first one must find out the reason why the team's ability to create shooting opportunities has decreased!

Simon Grayson had no choice but to hold an emergency seminar for the coaching staff. The theme was to find out the reasons for the team's recent decline in offensive power. If you can't score a goal, you can't win. In the current situation where a team needs victory the most, what should you use to keep the team moving forward without a goal?

Sitting in the conference room, Simon Grayson's face was very serious: "Guys. The team's physical fitness problems have been solved recently, and I feel very pleased. This is the result of our joint efforts! But... a new problem has appeared again. Everyone should have noticed that our attack power has dropped significantly in recent games, and I have not found any problems with the players' status. Now I hope everyone will work hard together to find out the reasons. Okay, everyone has read our recent game statistics, and everyone can analyze the reasons."

After several coaches looked at the data in their hands, Eric Black pondered: "Simon, look... Could it be that our tactical style has been thoroughly studied by our opponents? 4-2-3-1 is a very common formation in football today. It is a very popular formation. If we use this tactic, even if there are changes in personnel arrangements. However, the difference between tactical arrangements and other teams is very small, so it will become very easy for them to defend us."

"Well! Eric, what you said makes sense!" Simon Grayson nodded and said, "I also think that our opponents can easily defend our attacks recently. Although our frontcourt offense has changed a lot, the effect is not so ideal."

Coach Klaus Lundkewan, who is responsible for designing tactics for the team, said: "I think the main reason why our attack power has declined recently is that our tactics have not surpassed the existing 4-2-3-1 tactics. Our every move can be predicted by the opponent, even if it is because of the changes in personnel. But this has also affected our team's attack power. So... Simon, I think we should still return to the previous tactics with Shaq as the absolute core. That tactic is the tactic that has the characteristics of our team."

"That's right! Simon, I agree with Klaus's suggestion!" Eric Black said: "We played well at the beginning. If Ameobi was not injured, we wouldn't have changed our tactical style. Now we have Nelson and Carlos' form is not as good as the beginning of the season. We are still our key player. Ameobi has also returned from injury and is waiting for the opportunity to play, so I think it's time for us to resume our previous tactical style."

Simon Grayson nodded silently, looking at the others...

"agree!"

"I agree too!"

"Shaq can play a smaller role in current tactics than before. I think we are wasting Shaq's energy when we play 4-2-3-1!"

Simon Grayson nodded with a smile: "Well, what everyone said makes sense. We did not use Shaq recently! But... have you ever thought about it. If we restore our previous tactical style, Ashley Hood, Glenn Verland, Whitehead, and Hammit will have fewer opportunities to play."

Eric Black laughed and said, "Simon, you don't need to worry about this. Ashley is still young, and he can't just play one position. This aspect needs to be strengthened. Hammit himself can play many positions. As for Gran and Dean, they should be very clear about their position in the team, so they should not be in trouble."

"Okay, that's it! Starting tomorrow, we will replay the previous Shaq-centric tactics in training, but I think there is still more changes to let Ben and Male take turns to fill up the team when Shaq rushes up, helping the team's defense and organization of offense. These are their tasks!"

In fact, Simon Grayson had already thought about changing the team's tactics back. When the team bought Nelson Oliveira, he thought about it. Shaq was the strong foundation of Leeds United. When the team competed in the English Champions League last season, Shaq was also the team's combat effectiveness because of Shaq's joining. How to use Shaq had been calculated countless times in his mind, and he knew what to do. Now that the team is facing difficulties, Simon Grayson's first thought is to go back.

During the training the next day, Simon Grayson changed the team's tactics back, and the players were not in any way resistant. The team lost three games in the last four games. This situation was the first time Leeds United encountered in the past two years. If it weren't for the UEFA Cup away game against Leverkusen, Leeds United would have lost three consecutive games in the domestic games in England. It would be normal for the team to make some changes at this time.

Leeds United has used this tactic for a long time before. The players are very quick to get back on, while right back Metz Fursarico has good assists, and in this tactic, he is even more like a fish in water.

The only problem at the moment is that although the "black big guy" Ameobi returned from injury and had not adjusted to his best condition, the only person who partnered with Tevez was Nelson Oliveira. Whether these two people can blend well is the key to this tactical change.

After Portuguese scorer Nelson Oliveira transferred to Leeds United, he has contributed 5 goals and 7 assists to the team. His efficiency is definitely better than Snold Grass and Bechio. There is no doubt that he will become the partner of the "Beast" Tevez.

After practicing this for a few days, Leeds United's second-round Europa League knockout match with Leverkusen at home has arrived.

This time, the formation that Simon Grayson lined up is what Leeds United is best at. On the forward line, there is the combination of Nelson and Tevez, Jonny Hausen and Pivkowski are the left and right forwards, Ben Parker, Met Fursarico plays left and right fullbacks, and the three central defenders are Clegg Dawson, Oddy, and Red. These nine players form a big circle, and there is only one person in the circle... Zach Thompson!

Zach Thompson's personal abilities are still very outstanding in Leeds United, especially since he is almost dribbling, shooting, receiving, free kick, header, long shot, man-to-be, pass, steal, and technology. The attributes of prediction, imagination, running, defensive position, and teamwork are also further strengthening. The explosive power, flexibility, balance, bounce, physique, speed, endurance, and strength in the body are always strengthening. Even the weakest flexibility, balance, and physique have attributes of more than 15 points.

Now Zach Thompson has almost become a fully armed monster on the football field. Like Simon Grayson arranged for him to help with offense, defense, and be responsible for passing the ball during offense and to be responsible for running and receiving. This true "all-round" midfielder who wants to do all the work happens to be the position that can play his role best. Because he will have a very broad space for playing, all his teammates are waiting for support far away from him, but let him run happily with excellent physical fitness, and even if his opponent wants to limit him, it will be very difficult.

Leverkusen, who faced the "Youth Guards" again, felt as if he was facing another team, which was almost completely different from the team they met at home in the first round.

Leeds United made Leverkusen's pass through the frontcourt press and obtained the ball's right. Then the ball began to pass back at Leeds United's feet, one on the left and another on the right, and the ball was controlled under his feet for two minutes. Leeds United suddenly passed Zach Thompson in the middle circle and sent the ball to the top of the arc of Leverkusen's penalty area. Nelson happened to run to this point and took the ball to the side and shot with a sudden kick. Although the ball hit high, it also completed the first shot of the "Youth Guards" in this game, and Leeds United's offensive frenzy began since then...

It can be said that from the beginning of the game, Leeds United took the initiative in the game. They created shots again and again through continuous running and passing. However, they completed 9 shots in the first half, but only 3 shots were within the goal range. Obviously, the tactical changes still made the players a little uncomfortable.

However, because they were already leading 3:0 in the first round, Leeds United's mentality was still very relaxed. They gradually found the feeling and rhythm of the game in the first half of the season on the court, and the goal finally appeared.

When the game ended 73 minutes, Leeds United's left offensive came out, and the "Three Leeds Musketeers" made another exquisite cooperation. First, Zach Thompson passed the ball to Jonny Hausen. After the captain Leeds dribbled the ball all the way, he suddenly passed the ball back to Ben Parker who followed behind.

"Bang!"

After Ben Parker clicked the ball down, he easily sent the ball to the corner of the small penalty area on the left without defending. The short "wild beast" rushed out, just rubbed it lightly with his head, and the ball flew into the net nest in the far corner... 1:0!

This goal is also the only goal in the game. Although Leeds United only won a small goal, they made it into the next round with a total score of 4:0 and advanced to this year's Europa League quarter-finals.

At the post-match press conference, Simon Grayson seemed very happy: "I am very satisfied with the team's performance in this game. Although we only scored a goal, the performance of the boys on the court was overwhelming. We did not give our opponents any chance. We held the initiative in the game from beginning to end."

In this game, although Leeds United only scored one goal, they had an overwhelming advantage, with a shooting ratio of 21:10 and a ball possession rate of 58%:42%. They are far superior to Leverkusen in long shots, corner kicks, pass success rate and other aspects. The running distance is also 113 kilometers:111 kilometers, and these... are what Simon Grayson wants to see the most! (To be continued, please search for Astronomy, the novel is better, updated and faster!
Chapter completed!